Supreme
by Alice Shade
Summary: There's no place like the top of the world. But is it worth the hassle?  Rated for swearing and some suggestive moments.


Legal drek disclaimer.

I do not own the show, nor any character. All fanfiction clauses apply. No profit could ever be sought nor garnered through perusal of this text. Anyone interested has the right to write sequel, prequel, remake, whathave you. For the most inquisitive, there are author notes in the end.

Supreme.

- Bring her in.  
- At once, Supreme One!

Guards saluted and disappeared behind the doors. Shego watched them leave, then opened her bar and filled her favorite stein with black coffee. After a moment of contemplation, she poured a pony of absinthe into the mug, figuring that conversation would be a long and potentially frustrating one. Done with that task, she returned to her desk and flopped into the chair. Leather creaked as she stretched out, crossing legs under the mahogany table.

- Leggo!  
- Quiet, troublemaker! You`re about to see Supreme One. If I`ll hear as much as yelp, we`ll come in and you`ll regret you were born, you sorry wench!  
- Hey!

Shego rubbed the bridge of her nose. This Kim sure sounded rowdier then last one. Green dictator sorely hoped she wouldn`t have to request a chair with restraints, but wasn`t holding her fingers crossed. As the doors swung open and guards dragged redhead in, Shego straightened up a bit, and forced the scowl away. She tended to keep looks impassive in business, even when it gave her headache. Nodding to the chair, she paused, studying redhead as she was deposited in the chair.

- Per your command, Supreme One.  
- Good. Leave me the key to cuffs, and wait for my call at security post. That won`t take long, Alwin.  
- Yes ma`am!  
- Dismissed.

As the guards filed out, Shego leaned on the elbow, studying Kim Possible more intently. Apparently, harsh words were the worst that guards thrown at the cheerleader-slash-hero after the initual capture. Which pleased Shego - professionalism of her henchmen was high on her priority list. Taking a sip from her stein, Supreme One sat up straight, satisfied with initial observation. Time to talk.

- Good morning. I take it your name is Kim Possible... Or there is some subtle variation to that in your case?  
- Huh? Yes, I`m Kim Possible... As if you wouldn`t know that, Shego.  
- You`d be surprised. Ruling the world is a hard work.  
- Pshaw, right. Well, you won`t have to do that for much longer, now that I`m here.  
- Really? Pray, tell. Why would your presence change anything?  
- Quit playing dumb, Shego. We both know I`m here to put an end to your evil schemes and free the world.  
- ...NNgh. Right. You and half a dosen of Kim Possibles before you.  
- BWUH!  
- Heh. That`s right, you`re not the first Kim Possible to sit in this room. I`ve had... Hm, seven of different versions of you before gracing this chair.  
- What are you talking about?  
- Mm. Frankly, I lack the patience to play cat and mouse for eighth time, so I`ll be blunt. You think this is your future. Altered future, to be exact, which came to be due to several villains conspiring to change your past and prevent you from being a hero. Small details could vary - like the exact names and quantity of villains involved, the way they intended to prevent you from becoming a hero and such... However the gist of story is always the same - namely a certain female named Shego giving herself an edge in past with knowledge of future, which leads to her becoming the ruler of country or world in your present. So, to rectify the situation you are travelling to future to fight said Shego for the device or artifact used to travel in time, so you could come back and fix everything. Correct?  
- ...Yes. And what do you mean by "think"?  
- Very simple thing. This is NOT your future. This is alternate reality. Time travelling here never happened, I`ve never went back in time to give myself information about future, and no villains conspired to change the fate of certain cheerleader Kim Possible.  
- Lies. You are called the Supreme One here, for crying out loud!  
- Indeed. A title that I`ve toiled hard for, let me tell you.  
- ...Let me guess. Next thing you`re going to tell me is that there`s another Kim Possible in this reality?  
- To a point.  
- Hah. What do you mean, to a point?  
- She`s buried at the Middleton Cemetery. East wing, fourth alley, seventeenth square. And before you say something, no. I`ve had nothing to do with her death. Actually, we were friends back in school days... Until she died from pneumonia when she was sixteen.  
- Oh...God.  
- Although I`m sorely tempted to keep you here as her replacement, I`m doubtful of the merits to such decision. So let`s wrap things up, and arrange your way to your own reality. And when you attempt to time travel again, tell whoever helps with the device to account for quantum flow, unless you plan on making reality-hopping a part of your life.  
- Oh, no, you don`t! Maybe another me here is dead, but I`m here now and I`ll put an end to your evil reign!  
- Grrnh. Not you too. What`s your major malfunction, Possible? Since then I`m the evil incarnate?  
- Gee, I dunno. Since you`ve became most wanted in eleven counties, maybe? Or when you started working with Dr. Drakken trying to take over the world? It`s so hard to put a finger on it, I don`t really know. Or maybe just because you ARE evil?  
- Correction. YOUR world has Shego that is possibly evil and criminal. Not this world. I`m not sure what exactly goes on in your reality, but here, I`ve never been criminal. Rebel, yes. Dictator - most likely I still am. But never criminal. It`s hard to be criminal when you write the laws, you know.  
- That does not mean a thing. Evil is still evil, no matter what bogus laws you write to justify it!  
- ...Bogus? Heh. I am the Supreme One, remember? I rule the world. So, heh, my laws might be anything but bogus. But skipping the pissing contest... Had you actually looked around, or you`ve started the brawl as soon as you`ve appeared here?  
- ...What are you getting at?  
- Only the tiny-teensy fact that I`m not evil, nor stupid. Take a look out of the window. Does the city down there looks like it`s maligned in any way? Any rubble? Homeless children? Rebel hideouts? Military robots facilitating curfew?  
- ...You`re messing with my mind.  
- If only. I`m pretty sick of having to justify myself time and time again to various versions of same redhead, you know. But I can`t really have you wreak havoc on my city when I can put a stop to it... And although it`s sorely tempting, I can`t execute you off the bat just because you assume I must be evil.  
- Can`t execute me? That`s news to me. Your goons kept talking about how they`d like to wring my neck.  
- Can you blame them? You`ve put nineteen people in hospital while they were subduing you. Two of them are still in ICU, I`ll have you know, and another three will have limps for long while. Nineteen honest policemen getting injured just because some hero from alternate reality couldn`t be bothered with finding out what`s what here before assuming they are evil.

Shego paused and took a long sip from her stein, turning away not to see the horrified expression on redhead`s face. She hated to bring things to that, but the necessity for this Kim understand that she`s the villain currently was of utmost importance. Not to mention that green-skinned woman was sorely tempted to just throw the redhead into civil court and let her explain herself there.

- Oh... god. I... I can`t believe that! That HAS to be a lie!  
- ...Of course. It HAS to be a lie, since great hero Kim Possible could not be possibly wrong. The rest of world MUST be lying. Of course.  
- ...NOOO! *sniff*

Supreme One blinked. Oh-uh. That was a bit unexpected. Apparently, this Kim was more emotional then others, given her sobs right now. Shego contemplated her options for a moment, then set stein down, and stood up, walking around the desk and unlocking handcuffs on Kim`s hands. Taking metal hoops with her, she tossed a box of tissues on redhead`s lap, and retreated back to her place behind the table. In a few moments, redhead composed herself enough to wipe her face.

- I... I don`t know... I... It`s... Hard. Hard to understand.  
- What`s so hard? Realities are different, Possible. In this version of events, I`m ruling the world. And doing that much quite appropriately, according to my subjects and statistic audits.  
- H-honestly?  
- Heh. Why don`t you knock on the door and ask any of the staff here about their life? Be my guest - ask anyone you want. I won`t lie about everyone without exclusion loving me to bits, but the last organised opposition disbanded about four years ago over immutable disagreements among members.  
- Uh. Right. OK. I will.  
- While you`re at it, take a good look around and consider just how good or bad of a ruler I am. Read some newspapers, if you want to. You`re not going anywhere until tomorrow, in any case. And before you ask, no, I`m not going to set you free. You`ve behaved like homicidal lunatic, and I still don`t have any guarentee you won`t go on another maiming spree. So for time being, consider yourself a felon under supervision. You`re not to approach schools, hospitals and kindergardens, and police officer will accompany you everywhere outside of your room. Science department will have means to send you back to your reality ready by tomorrow. Dismissed, unless you have any other questions.  
- Um... Just one?  
- Well, spit it out, then.  
- Why the sky is green?  
- Huh. You don`t know, do you? Interesting... Very interesting.  
- Just a token to remind people who`s in charge, isn`t it? Isn`t it!  
- ...Snrk. It would`ve been funnier if you weren`t the fourth one to make that assumption out of your... versions. No, I`m not that vain. Sky is green for a very practical purpose. And frankly, I`m somewhat surprised none of your versions recognised the real reason for this.  
- And that real reason being what?  
- Greenhouse layer between stratosphere and troposphere, of course.  
- ...The WHAT?  
- Greenhouse layer. Artificial layer of atmosphere populated with genetically modified version of laminaria seaweed.  
- ...This is crazy.  
- No, this is practical. Do you have any idea of how efficiently it utilises solar energy? Eighty percents of Earth`s surface is covered by greenhouse layer, which self-sustains with minimal maintenance. It`s planet-sized hydroponic farm, putting it simply. Routine harvesting from lower layers provides whole humanity with abundance of basic food.  
- Ew.  
- ...By the spirit of Einstein, you`re as annoying as you`re shortsighted. Not for humans, you silly bean. Basic food. It`s used in seatanks and farming complexes to feed various kinds of fish and kettle. Also, used as fertiliser for solar spot farms.  
- Right. Of course. And you can grow five times as much food on five times as small farms. I fail to see the practicality here.  
- What?.. Per any chance, princess, do you happen to have brain worms? Or you`re just trying to see how much you can piss me off before I`ll actually do something harsh to you?  
- Aha! I knew you were villainous! Lie as much as you like, the truth will always shine through.  
- ...Oh, for the love of... ARE you brain-damaged, Possible, or you failed to pass elementary school?  
- Oh, I passed it just fine. Fine enough to know eighty percents means four fifth of planet are rendered not farmable by your evil schemes.  
- ...My mistake. Apparently, you aced math. Too bad you slept through geography.  
- More lies? So what did I slept through, prey tell?  
- Oh, just a little notion of three-fourths of Earth surface being oceans? Now, since you`ve aced math, let`s try and count again, shall we? So, we have 0.8 of Earth surface covered. We also know 0.75 of it is not affected by said coverage by the virtue of being liquid. So, what do we have? We have 0.25 of surface being solid. One-fifth of it is also covered by the leftover from 0.8 minus 0.75. Coincidentally, that 0.05 happens to be completely unsuitable for farming - such charming locations as Pittsburg steel belt and Donbass coal mines... Which, awch, put helluva lot of hazardous particles into air, making areas not only unsuitable for farming, but also unsuitable for living, period. Well, by golly, we can`t afford to have those sources of glorious pollution capped with humongous natural recycler, oh no. Let`s get poisoned instead.  
- ...Wha?...  
- I`m not goddamn stupid, Princess! I`m ALONE here, fucking alone. If the whole humanity turns on me, there`s no damn way I could possibly live in palace and argue with random heroes from alternate reality - I`d be most likely too damn busy ditching the never-ending witchhunt on my tail. And they would`ve turned on me if I ever attempted to pull something so monumentally stupid. For heaven`s sake, Possible, this planet is my damn home, the only one I`ll ever have in foreseeable future. Do I LOOK stupid enough to destroy it? You don`t piss where you drink, Princess - humanity had learned that goddamn lesson here bloody well.  
- Look, it`s not that I want you to be evil! I just don`t believe you`re not.  
- And that is relevant how?  
- I know you`re hiding something evil underneath it all. No way in hell you could be the savior of the humanity. This is just too stupid to believe in.  
- And now you amply demonstrate why I outlawed religious right.  
- You...WHAT?  
- Oh. You wanted evil? OK, here is your evil. Yes, I outlawed the religious right. Every single person on earth is under jurisprudence of secular law. Without exclusions.  
- I knew. I knew this couldn`t be the paradise on earth you claim it to be.  
- Guess not. After all, how can it be paradise, if you can`t legally enslave, rob and murder people because voices in your head tell you to do that?  
- Outlawing the right to think freely is just a little inconvenience for global peace, no?  
- ...Now I`m certain you have brain worms. Religious right is NOT the right to think or believe in something. It`s right to enforce your beliefs on people who might not share them.  
- People ought to have right to practice their beliefs!  
- No. Not when said practices infringe on other people.  
- BBut...! But...!  
- But what? Or you`re feeling you`re the butt of the joke, right now? Gee, guess what, Possible. It`s indeed a better world, if it`s explicitly forbidden to persecute others based on what they believe in. Judge not, lest you be judged.  
- But what about people`s right to simply believe!  
- What about it? Believe, if you want.  
- Well, gee, I`d love to, but some meanie outlawed that.  
- You just don`t grab the hints, do you? It`s entirely legal to believe. Illegal is to demand exemption from secular laws based on your beliefs. If you believe that only eating kosher food is acceptable, good luck with that. Now, if you go and demand non-kosher food to be abolished for everyone, you break the law. Simple enough, cupcake?  
- So, if I say right here and now that I`m in love with you, it`s my right to do so?  
- Yes, you believe in whatever you want, as long as it does not bother o... Wait, WHAT?  
- What`s the matter, Shego? Having a little trouble with your laws?

Sighing, Supreme One leaned back, and held her breath for a second. Then, swiveled around in her chair, facing away from teenager. Staring into window, she said, her voice sounding a bit cracked - "Audience is over. Now get the hell out of here." Kin stood up, and walked towards the door, tossing the last shot over her shoulder - "Don`t have any better retort, now do you? Pf. You can never mask your evil intentions." Suddenly chair swiveled back.

- Shut the fuck up. Who do you think you are to trample over my feelings like that?  
- ...Feelings?  
- Apparently you are just plain stupid, after all. Yes, my feelings. And yes, it`s indeed your right to claim you love me, if you want to, even if it makes you a complete asshole.  
- Er, what...? Did I hit a nerve..?  
- Yes, you did. I used to be in love with native Kim Possible. Now get the fuck out of here.  
- ..Haah... ?...

Blinking, redhead stopped near the door, then turned around, her eyes directed towards the floor.

- ..I`m sorry. I.. I think I understand. Somewhat. I didn`t mean to hurl it all in your face like this, honest. I... I...  
- Get the fuck out! I`ve had more then enough of your babbling.

Supreme One slammed her fist on the intercom, gritting out - "Take her away." Less then a second later, four security guards appeared almost out of nowhere, and led Kim Possible out. Alwin hung back to hear the instructions, which were expeditiously provided - "Supervise at all times. That one seems more unhinged then others, possibly fanatical. Don`t get overzealous, don`t take chances either. If there`s anyone else who needs to see me, tell them to come back tomorrow."

She watched the door close behind her guards, then sighed, downing the mug abruptly. Cold coffee washed off the bitterness on her tongue, but could not touch the bitterness on her mind. Casting a quick glance over her table, she verified absense of any pressing matters to attend to, and stood up, heading for the door to her private quarters. She needed some time alone.

Later that evening, she calmed down enough to consider some of the little chores she was putting off till better times. Now seemed as good time as any, so she sat about organising her scrapbook - an activity she normally loathed to do, with all the memories attached to it. Today, with memories freshly minted regardless, she could finally bring herself to get that over with once and for all. Door creaked quietly, as she was staring at the large photo of herself and Kim Possible, grinning and flashing victory sighs from the parade float. Silly situation, silly expressions... Silly past.

- Something`s the matter, dear?  
- ...Another Kim Possible. I wish it`d stop already.  
- Ah. None of them is quite like the original, I suppose.  
- Like native, you mean. And yes, I guess all of them are... Not it.  
- You`re still missing her, aren`t you?  
- Sort of, yes. It does not help I`m being presented with versions of what she might`ve been alternatively. Does not help at all, they are all so... Ugh.  
- Well, my offer still stands. I could`ve taken that form so you`d let it out of your system...  
- No, Camille. Simply no. I really appreciate your unique talents, but... letting you turn into Kim Possible is one thing I will never allow. For the simple reason you`re not it, either.  
- Not it, that much is right. But who am I to you, then?  
- You? You are Camille. The first lady Camille, if we`re going to be silly.

Supreme One turned around, smirk lighting her face slightly - "You are not her, she is not you. And swapping Camille for Kim does not sound like fair trade to me." Today, Camille chose to look exotically african, and that made Shego wonder, if all the talk wasn`t just a little preface to provide some contrast value. Sounded decisively like something Camille would do.

- I wondered, why didn`t you retain one of them. Number three seemed to be quite... open to the idea.  
- Not it. Simple as that. Kim Possibles irritate me for one simple reason - I keep comparing them to my late girlfriend, and comparison is always not in their favor. I might be biased on that, but this is exactly the question where all revolves about me. And I know that it`s not what I want.  
- I gathered quite as much. But I still wonder why. As your psychiatrist and as your current girlfriend.  
- Does it need any further explanation? Kim Possible is dead. I miss her a lot even now, but I`ve moved on a long time ago. Now, alternatives are starting to show up, and they`re all much younger then I am. In fact, they`re all about the age the native Kim was when she died, give or take. I don`t know about you, but that gives me the creeps.  
- I take it you don`t view those occurrences as second chance possibilities, now do you?  
- Of course no!  
- Well, congratulations, then. Provided you`re not consealing some deep dark urges from me, you`ve passed this psychological hurdle with flying colors.  
- Urges? I`ll show you some urges, Camille, just you wait!  
- Alright, alright, you`ve ... ah... persuaded me.  
- Good. Now I`mma continue to make sure you stay persuaded. *nom*

Author`s notes:  
Yes, this is AU. I mean, the story itself explains just how AU it is. Which, well, is pretty much what`s it all about. Seeing as AU seems to be a prominent issue in fandom, I`ve felt inspired to write a story, where it is a necessity, rather then hindrance. Also, Supreme One always made me wonder - I can`t quite believe anyone could take over a world without a single constructive idea in their mind. Now, considering Shego is not stupid, a question begets itself - just how evil Supreme One can realistically be? At the level of world control, personal evil and good are quite... inconsequental in the face of larger truths.


End file.
